Detection of nano-scale and micro-scale particles, such as DNA, RNA, proteins, or other molecular markers released by circulating tumor cells, bacteria, or viruses, has immense clinical utility. For example, such detection allows for the detection of pathogens, the diagnosis of diseases, and the personalization of medical treatments and health programs. Such detection can also facilitate the search for effective pharmaceutical drug compounds and biotherapeutics. Detection of nano-scale and micro-scale particles, may also allow clinicians to identify abnormal hormones, ions, elements, carbohydrates, proteins, or other molecules produced by a patient's body and/or identify the presence of poisons, illegal drugs, or other harmful chemicals ingested or injected into a patient.
Currently, an array of techniques are used for molecular detection and quantitation. For example, nucleotide sequences may be detected using complementary probes or primers in conjunction with devices designed to detect bound probes or primers. Such techniques typically require hybridization and/or amplification of the nucleotides. As another example, a protein is commonly detected with an enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA) device and an antibody that specifically binds to the protein. Available techniques for molecular detection are generally expensive, labor-intensive, skill-intensive, and/or time-intensive. A need exists for improved molecular detection techniques, which produce accurate results quickly, cheaply, and easily.